chapter 19: Eleanor

Due to the injury Richard sustained to his right eye, the army halted its advance for two days. However, taking advantage of the situation in the Kingdom of Moritan, Richard continued to advance towards the capital with his army. Now that other kingdoms had learned of Moritan's loss, they would attack Moritan like hungry wolves, diminishing Richard's share from Moritan.

Therefore, he immediately besieged the capital and cut off its supply routes. The capital of Moritan was now under embargo. Chaos reigned in the capital, especially evident among the people in the palace. Seated on the throne, a woman was visibly troubled, furrowing her brow and deep in thought. Queen Amaya was currently ruling the country since the king's death, and she had no clue what to do in this situation. Soon, a wealthy nobleman from Moritan, Count Andrew, offered an idea to the queen.

"My Queen, unfortunately, as you know, we have lost the war and our army. Now, the only thing we can do is surrender," he said. Some of the elderly nobles there protested, "Are you suggesting we open the city gates to those dogs? They will devour us alive, and you propose this?"

Count Andrew replied, "Currently, whether we resist or not, we will eventually lose the city. Moreover, the other kingdoms don't yet know that the war is lost... If they find out, they will invade our lands, plunder our villages, take our men as slaves, and our women as concubines. You all know this, especially how ruthless the empire can be." He said, pleadingly looking at the queen.

One of the barons among them asked, "But how can we be sure Richard won't do this to us?" and others nodded, seeing the merit in his words.

Count Andrew continued, "Richard is only ruthless towards his enemies, but if we submit to him, I don't think he'll oppress us. Moreover, we can give him a reason to believe we won't betray him. If we come under Richard's rule, not only will our country breathe a little, but other states will hesitate to attack our lands."

Finally, the queen felt there was a way out. Even though she was the killer of her husband, she would do what was necessary for her country now. She wouldn't allow the worst-case scenario to unfold.

The queen asked, "What reason do we have to prove that we will remain loyal to Richard?"

Count Andrew hesitated, "Forgive me for saying this, Your Majesty, but..." He looked down, struggling to find the words. The queen urged, "Just say it; right now, you are my only hope."

Count Andrew said, "I believe the only way to prove our loyalty is to betroth one of Richard's sons to the princess." The queen's eyes widened, trying to find another solution. She already lost one of her two children. How could she give away her only remaining daughter, who had just turned ten?

"I don't know, Your Majesty, but there's no other way. If we don't offer this proposal, he is likely to kill us all for not trusting us, including your daughter, my queen," he said. What he said was true, as history had shown many times before.

The queen said, "Give me time to think about it," and rose from her throne. Count Andrew said, "Of course, Your Majesty, but every passing second is losing our favor."

_____

Queen Amaya watched her daughter Eleanor watering flowers in the garden. Eleanor had inherited her mother's purple hair and purple eyes, a sweet girl of about ten. Soon tears started flowing from Amaya's eyes, but she continued watching her daughter, oblivious to everything. After composing herself and wiping away her tears, she approached her daughter.

Queen Amaya approached her daughter and looked at the flowers in the garden together. But the worry and indecision gnawed at her. She smiled at her daughter but struggled to conceal the heaviness in her heart.

"Dear Eleanor, I have to make a big decision for you, and it weighs heavily on me. But you must know that I may have to do this for your safety and the future of our kingdom," she said, struggling with her trembling voice.

Eleanor noticed the worried expression on her mother's face and asked curiously, "Mother, what's wrong? Why are you so sad?"

The queen looked directly at her daughter and said, "Dear Eleanor, our kingdom is in great danger, and I believe I must make a difficult decision to ensure your safety." she said, choking back tears.

Eleanor sensed the seriousness in her mother's voice and asked, "What do we need to do, mother? How can I help?" Her eyes filled with concern.

Queen Amaya, admiring her daughter's innocence and determination, hugged her. Then, she said, "Dear Eleanor, we need to talk about something important. Please listen to me carefully," and she explained Count Andrew's proposal to Eleanor.

As Eleanor listened to her mother's words, a mixture of shock, fear, and understanding crossed her face. She wanted to support her mother's decision, but fear and worry overwhelmed her.

Queen Amaya understood her daughter's feelings and hugged her, "Dear Eleanor, I know this is a tough decision. But remember, we have to do this for your safety and the future of our kingdom. I am proud of you, and I am with you, no matter what," she said, tears streaming down her face.

Eleanor drew strength from her mother's embrace and lifted her head determinedly. "Mother, I trust you, and I agree. I will do my best for our kingdom," she said, despite her fear.

Queen Amaya felt a slight relief when she saw her daughter's courage. Together, they began to plan the steps they would take to ensure the safety of their kingdom and Eleanor. However, the real problem was that Eleanor had reached her peers' age, and there was only one unmarried prince, and that was none other than Ethan Asina Lenistark, the killer of her son.

"The photo of Eleanor is in the comments--"